INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Apply for WUN Research Development Fund 2022

The Research Development Fund (RDF) is an annual competitive fund offered by the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), with grants up to £10,000 for international researchers across the network to collaborate. Apply by 2 October to build your network!

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The Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) is a leading global higher education network. UiB participates in WUN together with 24 leading comprehensive research universities to advance research and collaboration. It brings together all the member universities that sit in widely diverse geographical and cultural contexts, forming a partnership with the most talented researchers and educators globally to work with a range of focused issues.

The Research Development Fund (RDF) is an annual competitive fund offered by WUN, with grants up to £10,000 for international researchers across the network to collaborate.

RDF provides one year of seed funds to foster research collaborations among WUN members with a view to stimulating larger projects that will strengthen WUN and making the collaborating partners competitive for major external grants. All researchers at UiB are invited to apply.

WUN RDF 2022: Theme and focus area

In line with the WUN Strategic Plan 2020–2023, the principal research theme of RDF is Sustainable Development. As the world confronts a multitude of global challenges, there is a pressing need for research to inform the path forward. Cross-Global Challenge projects that address one or more of the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are particularly encouraged:

SDG #3: Good Health and Well-being
SDG #4: Quality Education
SDG #7: Affordable and Clean Energy
SDG #10: Reduced Inequalities
SDG #11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
SDG #14: Life below Water
SDG #15: Life on Land

Eligibility criteria:

To be eligible, a research collaboration must include at least three WUN member universties (including UiB) in at least two regions (i.e., Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, and Oceania). You may find an overview of WUN partners and regions HERE. Non-WUN universities and external partners are also welcome. However, please note that WUN member university must be the active core of the proposed project. The applications will be assessed and ranked with a range of criteria including objectives, teamwork, WUN advantage, breadth of impact and project sustainability.

UiB applicants should engage/identify at least one more UiB faculty member to collaborate on the project, in addition to the PI. Projects whose teams include (or are led by) early career researchers, are especially encouraged.

Process:

A two-step process will apply, with an internal application as the first step and submission of full proposals to WUN as the second step. Applications will be assessed and approved through an internal review and two selected applications will be invited to develop into full proposals as UiB can only be the lead institution for two projects.

The process for internal application involving UiB academics as PIs is the following:

Review the RDF Guidelines and make connections with WUN members to engage additional member universities.
Complete the WUN RDF application form and send it to rosa.nogueira@uib.no by the internal deadline on Sunday, 2 October 2022.
At this stage, applicants may simply indicate possible partners. Once the internal application is submitted and selected to the final WUN application, the UiB institutional WUN coordinator, Rosa Nogueira, will assist with making the connections.
Applications will be reviewed internally, and the two most qualified applications will be selected by the University for submission to WUN.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to develop the drafts into full proposals and to complete WUN’s online application by 24 October 2022 at 5:00pm, CET time.
WUN will announce the results on 16 December 2022.
Funds made available February 2023.
Funds should be used within 12 months. Unspent funds at the conclusion of the 12-month award period may be recalled by WUN.

UiB researchers are also invited to take part in projects developed by other partners. You may register and search the WUN Hub to find information on members with research interests, active WUN research projects or view the calls for collaborators to join a potential research project.